A guide to reduce screen time

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

App- and OS-Based Controls

  • Many rely on built‑in tools: HN’s noprocrast/maxvisit/minaway, iOS Focus Modes, Screen Time (though some say it’s inaccurate), Android Digital Wellbeing (not available on all ROMs).
  • Popular third‑party blockers and trackers mentioned: ScreenZen, SpeedBump, Forest, Block, Cold Turkey, TimeLimit (F-Droid), NextDNS schedules, Leechblock, Brick, LookAway (desktop breaks), EvoCat (gamified focus), TRMNL (info e‑ink), and various Chrome extensions.
  • Some prefer “feedback” over “blocking”: apps that just show live screen‑time stats (e.g., a notification) can create a powerful feedback loop. Others want hard blocks, timers, and forced delays to break the “hypnosis.”
  • Privacy is a concern: users ask for open‑source / offline / no-network apps; others describe using firewalls or ROMs (GrapheneOS) to cut Internet access for trackers.

Hardware, Configuration, and Friction Hacks

  • Several swap smartphones for basic phones or e‑ink / “Daylight” tablets, reporting more intentional use and less FOMO.
  • Common tactics: uninstall browsers, delete all social/“feed” apps, disable JavaScript, go grayscale, remove home‑screen icons so every app must be searched, and aggressively prune notifications.
  • Some schedule enforced offline time: “internet Sabbaths” (24h with no TCP/IP), offline mornings, or router/phone automations that cut connectivity on a schedule.

Replacing Screen Time with Alternatives

  • Strong theme: reducing screen time only works if replaced with other activities—kids, drawing, exercise, learning languages, chess, piano, reading books, audiobooks, offline RSS, real‑world events.
  • One commenter warns that removing screens without alternatives can just mean staring at walls or sleeping, especially with depression.

Mental Health and Root Causes

  • Multiple comments tie doomscrolling to anxiety, depression, C‑PTSD, and loneliness; apps are seen as “life hacks” that don’t fix underlying pain.
  • People report benefits from therapy, mindfulness/meditation, breathing practices, and even psychedelic experiences in reducing the internal drive to seek screens.

Social Media, News, and “Feeds”

  • Debate over whether quitting social media is “unrealistic”; some live fine with almost none (often just HN/Signal).
  • Doomscrolling is often news‑based rather than TikTok‑style content. Feeds and push‑based recommendations are singled out as the core problem.
  • One user questions generic “2h/day” guidelines for adults already spending many hours on work screens, feeling the article doesn’t address their situation.